1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to containers and more particularly to a dual container with two separate containers, one within the other, for the storage of the same or different. material within one dual container.
2. Prior Art and Objects
Many types of containers are available today. One of the most common types of such containers are bottles used for storage of drinks such as soda. These bottles, frequently made of plastic or glass, are offered to the consuming public in various sizes with large sizes offering greater economy. With large containers, unless the beverage is consumed quickly, it goes flat and is no longer satisfactory to the consumer.
Two chambered bottles or containers have been constructed in the past. One example can be found in the Markazov Patent, U.S. Pat. No. D3,332,635, where two side by side compartments were used.
The Riordan Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,812 also teaches a dual chamber container but with the compartments connected end to end. The capped apertures at both ends of the container, used to remove the material from within the compartments, are located within well areas situated at both ends.
The Litto Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,311 B1, shows a compartment within a compartment but is clearly distinct from the current invention. Litto uses an inner container, which is expandable, to fill space outside the inner container, when material from the outside container is removed. It should be noted that the expandable inner container is connected at the upper end without any restraint at the lower end. In view of the design of the inner compartment and its purpose, as taught by Litto, there is no reason to secure the base of the inner compartment.
By placing the inner compartment centrally within the outer compartment and along a common longitudinal axis while restraining the base of the inner compartment in the base of outer container, a dual container of two containers is produced that is balanced so that consumption of the material in either compartment does not cause imbalance. Both containers forming the dual container would preferably be made of the same material. Such a container provides two compartments that can store the same or different products. Even with the same material being stored, the opening of one compartment does not in any way diminish the freshness of the material in the other compartment. Similarly, a variety of materials can be dispensed in one container, as for example a diet beverage and a regular beverage.
One of the most obvious uses, but not the only, for a dual container is in the soft drink market which has a wide spread consumption of containers, usually made of plastic. This invention is not limited to any specific material and may be used with plastic, glass and metal containers. However, with plastic containers it is very suitable as it can be readily and easily used and when empty may be recycled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dual container formed with an outer compartment and a inner compartment centrally within the outer compartment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dual container that retains physical stability when one container within the dual container is partially or fully emptied.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dual container that may be constructed from containers of existing design.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a dual container that may be economically constructed.
A two-compartment container is provided with an inner compartment located centrally within the outer compartment. Both the inner container and the outer container have an upper end with a central opening. Each central opening is substantially along the centerline of the dual container and at the upper end and the opening of the inner container is tightly secured, so as to avoid leakage, within the central opening of the outer container. The central opening of the inner container is utilized to dispense material from within that inner compartment. Since the central opening of the outer container is blocked by the central opening of the inner container, a side or alternate opening, adjacent the central openings, is provided for dispensing material from the outer container.
The inner container and the outer container each have a base plate with some form of indentation and protrusion the base plates. The indentations and protrusions may be of various configurations but, in accordance with this invention, must be sufficiently similar so that the inner container is retained at its lower end as a result of the protrusions and the indentations. Although limited movement of the inner container within the outer container is possible, since the fit between the protrusions and the indentations need not be tight, the base of the inner container is prevented from any substantial movement that would break the inner container at the central opening.